A projector is provided with a light source that emits red light, green light, and blue light, image forming units that form image light by modulating the intensity of the light of each color, and a projection lens that enlarges and projects the image light to the outside (Patent Document 1). Reflective image formation elements such as digital micromirror devices (DMDs) can be used as the image forming units.
A DMD has micromirror elements equal in number to the pixels. Each mirror element is configured to allow rotation of a predetermined angle around a rotational axis. Light that is irradiated to a mirror element inclined in a particular direction is reflected in the direction in which the projection lens is arranged. Light that is irradiated upon a mirror element inclined in a different direction is reflected in a direction in which the projection lens is not arranged. In this way, each individual mirror element of the DMD selects whether or not the light corresponding to a respective pixel is to be guided to the projection lens. By the implementation of this control over the light of each color by the DMD, the projector is able to display on a screen image light that has passed through the projection lens.